Hidden Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables

Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition

Fruits and vegetables provide many health benefits. Most people know about the vitamin C found in oranges or the beta carotene in carrots. However, don't overlook the benefits of resveratrol, lycopene and anthocyanin.

These compounds are among the ever-increasing number of phytochemicals whose existence and roles in nutrition and health are being discovered by researchers.

Phytochemicals are the ingredients in fruits and vegetables that appear to promote health, such as by slowing the aging process or reducing disease risk. They include:

• Lycopene, found in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit, which may aid in reduction of prostate cancer and heart disease.
• Anthocyanin, found in blueberries, blackberries, cherries, kiwi, plums and eggplant, which may help reduce the risk of cancer and may prevent urinary tract infections.
• Resveratrol, found in red grapes, wine and peanuts. Resveratrol may help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

These health-promoting compounds are more reasons why we should all eat the USDA recommended 2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables every day.

Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables provide a variety of nutrients not found in vitamin and mineral supplements. Find out the benefit of each color found in specific fruits and vegetables.

We know we need to eat a minimum of 5 servings of fruit and vegetables everyday. Actually now, to prevent cancer, 8 to 13 servings per day are recommended. A serving is one cup of raw fruits or vegetables, or ½ cup cooked. At a recent lecture I asked a lunch audience to raise their hand if they had at least one fruit or vegetable already that day. No one in that group raised their hand. This is not uncommon. Our processed and convenience foods contain very few fruits and vegetables.

To prevent chronic diseases, fruits and especially vegetables are very important. Vegetables especially have the antioxidants, minerals, and phytochemicals in the correct combination that help keep the blood sugar in balance, create better energy in the body, and along with fruits build up the immune system.

Each color found in fruits and vegetables focus on building the immune system in its own way. It is important to get a variety of colors, so that you will get a full range of phytochemicals (beneficial plant chemicals) in your daily diet. Research is finding that eating whole fruits and vegetables gives you many more nutrients than you could possible add to a vitamin and mineral supplement. There are over 12,000 phytochemicals, and I have yet to see a supplement, unless it has whole fruits and vegetables in it, have all of the 180 different vitamins or minerals that are required by our body to function daily.

The different colors in fruits and vegetables help our immune system react to different stresses in our daily life. So look at the different colors in your diet. See if they include each of the colors listed below. This is one way to know that you are getting the full benefit of nutrients possible in your diet.

Green Foods – broccoli, kale, leaf and romaine lettuce, spinach, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.
Green foods are especially good for the circulatory system. They contain many minerals and B-complex vitamins. Some phytochemicals found in green foods are sulforaphane and indoles that are very powerful anti-cancer compounds. Researchers have tried to use these as isolated phytochemicals but find that they only work while in the whole food form.

Red Foods – tomatoes, watermelon, red cabbage.
Red foods contain many phytochemicals that reduce free radical damage. The phytochemical called lycopene is especially helpful to prevent prostate problems, and reduce the effects of sun damage on the skin. Lycopene is the phytochemical that make the red foods get their red color.

Orange Foods – carrots, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, apricots, cantaloupe.
The orange foods have the carotenoids the help prevent cancer by repairing the DNA. As our mothers told us, carrots, and other orange foods, are especially good for our eyes, and help with night vision. The deep orange foods help our bodies get the vitamin A we need, without getting excess that can lead to osteoporosis.

Green/Yellow Foods – yellow corn, green peas, collard greens, avocado and honeydew melon.
This combination of green and yellow foods contains the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin that help reduce the risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. These foods are also helpful in reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Orange /Yellow Foods – oranges, pineapple, tangerines, peaches, papaya, nectarines
These foods that are orange and yellow in color are high in antioxidants, especially Vitamin C, and help to improve the health of the mucus membranes and connective tissue. They help prevent heart disease by improving circulation and preventing inflammation.

White/Green Foods – onions, garlic, celery, pears, chives
White and green combination foods contain a variety of phytochemicals. Garlic and onions contain allicin, the anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal phytochemical, and they can act as a poor man’s antibiotic. Add garlic and onions in your meals to reduce the effects of potential toxicity of high fat meats. Celery has many minerals, especially organic sodium, that keeps the fluid in the joints healthy.

Red/Blue/Purple Foods – red apples, beets, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, prunes, concord grapes, blackberries.
These dark colored red/blue/purple foods are very rich in powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that protect again heart disease by improving circulation and preventing blood clots. They have many anti-aging phytochemicals that keep the blood circulating reducing the effects of the Standard American Diet rich in trans fats and processed foods. When you make a salad make sure you have a variety of different colors. Strive to get at least 5 colors on your plate. Use fruits to balance the rest of the colors needed. This way you will get closer to the 8 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables required, and you will get the variety of nutrients you need daily.

Benefits of Cherry Juice, Fruits Benefits for Health, Diets, Calories, Vegetables Benefits for Health, Health Benefits of Fruits

Cherries are a very tasty and nutritious fruit. They contain many vitamins, minerals and compounds which have many health benefits. Some studies have shown cherries are especially beneficial in fighting some cancers.

They contain a number of anti-oxidants which help "mop up" free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules which cause damage to cells as the circulating molecule attacks other healthy cells. Damage to cells caused by free radicals have been shown to speed up the aging process.

Tart cherries are a rich source of powerful antioxidant which shows great promise in fighting aging and age related diseases. This is just touching the surface. Please visit us soon for more detailed information on the benefits of concentrated cherry juice. But don’t forget apart from all the health benefits cherry juice tastes great! Heart Disease Prevention According to researchers, a flavonoid found in cherries that has anticarcinogenic properties called quercetin can help to prevent heart disease.

Cherries are considered a nutritionally significant source of quercetin, containing large quantities per serving that surpass most fruits. Cancer Prevention A phenolic acid called amygdalin, also termed Vitamin B17 and laetrile, found in the kernels of cherries and other fruits, has been shown to reduce tumor size and further spread of cancer, as well as to alleviate the pains of the cancerous process. Populations such as the Hunza in Pakistan that have always incorporated amygdalin into their diets have remained cancer free, leading scientists to believe that its consumption could also be a powerful cancer prevention food.

Pain Relief Anthocyanins found in cherries also block inflammatory enzymes, reducing pain. In fact, 20 cherries are 10 times as potent as aspirin and have positive effects on gout and arthritis pain. Bone Health Sweet cherries are also considered to be excellent sources of boron, providing 396 ug/100g. Boron consumption, coupled with calcium and magnesium has been linked to increased bone health.

Cherries contain Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Bioflavonoids, Ellagic acid, Perillyl, anthocyanins and Melatonin Low in calories and contain no fat. High in potassium, vitamin C, B complex and minerals.